CAKE
3/4 c Butter 1 1/2 c Ground hazelnut filberts
2/3 c Caster sugar 1/2 c Self-raising flour
5 Egg yolks 2 tb Cocoa
1/4 ts Almond essence 6 Egg whites
175 g Plain chocolate (6 oz)
-ICING-
4 tb Apricot jam 175 g Plain chocolate (6 oz)
1/3 c Butter 2 tb Apricot brandy (or subst.)
Preheat oven to 160C (325F). Grease a 9in spring form cake tin and
line the bottom with greaseproof paper.
Cream the butter then add 1/3c sugar slowly, beating in between
additions.
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating in between. Melt the
chocolate and add it to the mixture along with the almond essence and
hazelnuts. Beat. Fold in the cocoa and flour.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add 1/3c sugar slowly,
whisking in between additions. Stir about a quarter of this into the
cake mixture to lighten it, then *fold* in the remainder. Spoon this
into the cake tin.
Bake for 60 – 70 minutes, until the top is firm and the centre cooked
(test with a metal skewer). Cool and remove from tin.
Warm the apricot jam until it is semi liquid. Spread over the top and
sides of the cake. Allow to cool and set slightly. Melt the butter
and the chocolate for the icing and mix with the brandy, if used.
Cool until it reaches a consistency for icing, then ice the top and
sides of the cake.
Yields
6 servings